Relationships between copper, zinc and iron in the plasma, soft tissues and skeleton of the rat during Cu deficiency

Abstract

1. The effect of dietary copper deficiency on the distribution of Cu, zinc and iron between plasma, various soft tissues and bone was investigated in weanling male rats.2. The concentration of Cu decreased in plasma, liver, kidney and femur, and the concentration in plasma correlated with that in all three organs. The total amount of Cu in the liver was reduced over the whole depletion period and a net loss from kidney also occurred over a shorter period, indicating that liver and, to a lesser extent, kidney both provide a mobilizable reserve of Cu.3. Animals in galvanized cages developed Cu deficiency more rapidly than similar rats in stainless-steel cages owing to Zn aggravating the depletion. Zn accumulated in the liver and femur of Cu deficient rats, particularly when they were housed in galvanized cages.4. Cu-deficient animals accumulated Fe in the liver, but had reduced concentrations in plasma, kidney and spleen. The hypertrophy of the heart and bone-marrow observed in Cu-deficient rats appeared to be secondary to the anaemia resulting from this impaired mobilization of hepatic Fe.